A week after starting the mission, Hakushi and the others gradually got used to the process of ninjas executing missions.
Aside from the first wave of enemies, the only other encounter occurred on the fifth day with the Hidden Sand Ninjas lurking within the Land of Fire, with no more battles afterward.
Among the encountered enemies, most were at the Chunin level from the Hidden Sand, with only one Jonin encountered.
However, after Sakumo showed overwhelming power against the Jonin, Hakushi and the others became more aware of the profound depth of Sakumo's strength, the leader and Instructor Jonin.
Although they had not witnessed the prowess of the Sannin praised by a demigod, Sakumo's strength fundamentally differed from that of an average Jonin.
To put it bluntly, his strength might no longer be assessable by the Jonin rank.
"The tasks completed these past few days were outstanding, and your cooperation was excellent. You didn't make the mistakes that inexperienced ninjas often do, so keep up the good work."
After nightfall, the four gathered around a campfire.
The burning campfire not only dispelled the surrounding darkness but also brought a hint of warmth.
Since it was early spring, the night's air still carried the lingering chill of winter.
Sakumo, holding a grilled fish and receiving a water bottle from Hakushi, spoke in an appreciative tone with a smile.
Hakushi, being a non-combat type Medical Ninja, was the only one among the four carrying a backpack, filled with enough water and food.
"Because you, Teacher Sakumo, solved most of the enemies on your own, after all."
Ayane said with a smile.
The enemies encountered these two times were nearly annihilated after just a glance, and any stragglers were mere Chunin and Genin-level small fry.
With Ayane constantly using Byakugan to observe the situation and Ruri aiding with Fire Style long-range attacks, they hardly needed to confront these stragglers directly before they were obliterated.
"Haha, don't say that. For newcomers, you've performed exceptionally well."
Sakumo understood the common ailments of most rookies who wanted both safety and recognition from the village, aspiring to become a revered ninja.
However, this path wasn't easy, and most ninjas couldn't reach the end.
Rookies with such a strong desire for merit too easily ended up sacrificing themselves on the battlefield and in missions.
Sakumo had seen many such novice ninjas countless times.
After a day, all four were somewhat fatigued.
But to ensure safety, not everyone could rest simultaneously; someone had to keep watch.
So Sakumo arranged for Hakushi and Ayane to keep watch for the first half of the night, while he and Ruri would guard the second half.
This way, if any enemy ambushed them, they wouldn't be caught off guard.
Hakushi and the other two didn't object to this.
Sakumo and Ruri soon fell asleep peacefully, ensuring they had enough rest to tackle tasks the next day.
Hakushi and Ayane moved to sit on the other side, listening to the rustling leaves in the breeze, enhancing the tranquility of the forest.
Enjoying the rare quiet, Hakushi let the night breeze caress his cheeks and hair.
"As expected of Hakushi-kun, you can conceal so perfectly, even against a powerful Jonin like Teacher Sakumo."
Ayane approached with light steps, genuinely expressing her admiration.
"Because I'm a medical ninja, no one pays attention to my strength. Medical ninjas like Jonin Tsunade, after all, are rare."
Hakushi glanced at Ayane and responded with a smile.
The biggest impression people had of medical ninjas was weakness. Apart from using Medical Ninjutsu, they generally couldn't form effective combat power.
This was why, during wartime, if an enemy's medical ninja was captured, they weren't casually executed.
On one hand, medical ninjas were of great use; on the other hand, their weakness didn't pose much of a threat.
Medical ninjas like Tsunade, one of the Sannin, were ultimately exceptions.
Most medical ninjas, like Hakushi, had nothing noteworthy besides Medical Ninjutsu.
For medical ninjutsu to be performed smoothly, medical ninjas needed inherent talent, a wealth of medical knowledge, and precise Chakra control skills.
This lack of combat ability in medical ninjas mainly stemmed from the endless professional knowledge they had to learn and the constant honing of their Chakra control, consuming a vast amount of their time and leaving no time for anything else.
"Really? Then you must be a bit careful. Teacher Sakumo isn't an ordinary ninja. If he discovers anything, the Hokage will find out quickly."
Ayane was very wary of Sakumo's strength.
The name "Konoha White Fang" was well-known even to them as newcomers.
His reputation in Konoha was above even that of the Sannin.
If a vote were held for the strongest Jonin in Konoha, Sakumo would undoubtedly receive the most votes.
Although Sakumo himself didn't think so, others saw him as the undisputed strongest Jonin in Konoha.
The Jonin closest to the position of Hokage.
"Don't worry, I've always kept my Chakra at the minimum level. Even if there's someone with a Byakugan or a Perception-type ninja, they'd only perceive me as a Genin based on my Chakra level."
Hakushi had long considered this.
Although it wasn't entirely accurate to determine a ninja's rank by their Chakra level, most people in the Ninja Realm believed so.
The stronger the ninja, the more Chakra they were expected to have.
Hakushi is not a ninja with an excessive amount of chakra; his chakra alone is not enough to squander, so he has to use it sparingly.
Hearing Hakushi say this, Ayane felt relieved.
Then the two of them quieted down. Ayane maintained her Byakugan activation state, occasionally turning her head to inspect from atop the branch to avoid any oversight.
Due to the Caged Bird, the Byakugan of the branch family has a blind spot in its field of vision, so Ayane needs to turn her head to cover the blind area in case an enemy fortuitously attacks from it.
Nothing happened in the first half of the night, then Hakushi and Ayane rested while Sakumo and Ruri took over watching the last half of the night.
The night passed uneventfully.
In the morning, the four cleaned up traces at the site, ate some dry rations, and then continued to roam within the Land of Fire.
They also coordinated with an Anbu squad. If contacted by the Anbu, they would set off in the directed direction; if not, they could only search around for enemies to eliminate them.
To ensure the safe transport of supply lines and the security of towns within the Land of Fire, these hidden Sand Ninja infiltrating the Land of Fire must be thoroughly cleaned out without exception.
The four easily moved through the forest, the gentle breeze sweeping past their ears. The rustling among the leaves almost masked their footsteps, while the mottled light shining through the gaps in the leaves above added some illumination, preventing the dim forest from appearing eerie.
The four kept mostly silent, conserving their energy.
Just then, Ayane suddenly sped up, stopping on a branch alongside Sakumo.
"Sakumo-sensei."
"Is it the enemy?"
Sakumo's hand was placed on the back of his White Fang Short Knife, ready to draw it at any moment.
Ruri also showed a vigilant expression, gathering chakra in her mouth, ready to unleash Fire Style ninjutsu at any moment.
"There are eleven ninjas, among which five have very strong chakra, very likely Jonins."
Jonins? Five of them?
Even Sakumo furrowed his brow, sensing something off.
Just as Sakumo was about to ask something, Ayane said gravely, "There's a perception-type ninja in the enemy squad, heading towards us."
"It seems we can't avoid this. Prepare to engage."
Since infiltrating the Land of Fire, Sakumo anticipated that the enemy might deploy perception-type ninjas, but he didn't expect to encounter them so soon.
Regardless of whether this Hidden Sand unit intended to destroy towns in the Land of Fire or disrupt Konoha's supply line, they had to be stopped.
Ayane's Byakugan has a five-kilometer radius; within that distance, a ninja could reach them within minutes by accelerating slightly.
There was no time for tactical maneuvering.
Under the influence of Byakugan and Perception Ninjutsu, both sides could only engage directly.
Clatter, clatter, clatter, clatter!
A peculiar sound emerged in the somewhat gloomy forest, bringing a tinge of horror.
The sound drew closer, and the approaching adversary was clad in a black robe, holding a Chakra Long Blade.
"Be careful, it's Puppetry!"
After Ayane shouted, Ruri had already prepared her ninjutsu.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
A massive, intensely hot fireball charged towards the approaching black-robed puppet.
The moment the fireball shot out, an unclear number of shadows surged out in front, their target unmistakable.
One ninja, wearing a Hidden Sand headband, clapped his hands together and then pressed them to the ground, a sinister smile on his lips:
"Earth Style: Earth Flow Wall!"
The earth wall blocked the fireball, with flames and soil scattering amidst the explosion.
The black-robed puppet remained unscathed, with only a bit of dust and sparks on the black cloak, as powerful chakra erupted from beneath the cloak and it disappeared instantly, reappearing above Hakushi and the others.
In an eerily twisted posture, impossible for a human body, it descended rapidly, the blade spinning like a wheel, slicing through the air.
Clang!
The White Fang Short Knife blocked the rapidly spinning Chakra Blade.
Synchronously, two black serpent-like chains extended from the sleeves of the black-robed puppet, with thorns like blades on them, ready to entangle Sakumo's body.
Meanwhile, seven ninjas surrounded Hakushi's trio, displaying vicious, bloodthirsty smiles from above.
There was no verbal exchange, no opening speeches; they brandished ninjutsu and weapons, initiating the slaughter.
As they charged in, Hakushi pulled out a Smoke Bomb from his ninja tool bag, detonating it on the ground and enveloping everyone within it.
In the smoke, Ayane's Byakugan remained unobstructed, clearly observing everyone's movements.
The index and middle fingers were brought together, a thin layer of chakra blade gathering on them.
Accompanied by a scream, a Hidden Sand ninja attempting a stealth attack from behind found Ayane's two fingers turning into sharp blades, piercing directly into the opponent's heart.
Immediately, the chakra blade on the fingers transformed into a small chakra torrent, fiercely impacting this Hidden Sand ninja's heart.
When Ayane withdrew her fingers, they were merely shrouded in a layer of chakra without a trace of blood.
The opponent's eyes were filled with blood vessels on the verge of bursting, and their face contorted into a grimace, enduring unimaginable pain before collapsing to the ground, dead.